Avery Anniversary Ale - Fourteen
Avery Brewing Company

Avery Anniversary Ale - FourteenAvery Anniversary Ale - Fourteen
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From:
Avery Brewing Company
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV:
9.46%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.01 | pDev: 11.47%
Reviews:
232
Ratings:
270
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 23, 2021
Added:
May 16, 2007
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  8
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by rxdrewthejew:
Photo of rxdrewthejew
Reviewed by rxdrewthejew from California

4.3/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Another Wally's Wine find, first time I've seen Avery out here.

A: Looks black in the glass unless you hold it to the light-then clearly a very dark reddish-brown. Very nice color. Big thick stoutish head that sloooowly dissapates. Tons and tons of lacing.

S: Lots of sweet malt and spices come out. Fruity hints of grapes, figs(?) and others. A small whiff of coffee. To me it smells like a strong Belgian beer.

T: Huge malt flavor, tons of malty, fruity sweetness. Really dominates from start to finish. At the end there's a bit of hopping. The exact flavor is a bit drowned out but it's leaves a bitter and dry feeling. A hint of toastyness in the finish as well. The spices from the smell are really not displayed at all. Pretty good balance all things considered, but more malty than hoppy.

MF: Big and thick brew. Quite syrupy. Nice bit of carbonation and the dry hopping really does its job as the finish is really quite dry. Big alcohol as well, good winter beer.

D: I expected this to be like the Stone 11th, but really it's not. I like this beer quite a bit. The sweetness is almost over the top, but the dry hopping gives it a good balance. Pretty much a sipper, and most likely a one-and-done beer for me. Good drinking, something I would like to have again.

I really am liking these "hybrid beers" that incorporate characteristics of different styles. Seems like a lot of micro's are brewing them as one-timers or seasonals, but hopefully they'll become more prevalent.
Dec 15, 2007
More User Ratings:
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

2.91/5  rDev -27.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Bottle, RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Dark brown colour, tan head. Malty and oaky aroma. The flavour is very malty, too sweet and alcoholic for me.
Apr 23, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by heysuz from Indiana

Mar 10, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by brittanylicious from Indiana

Mar 10, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by csfcmitchell from Texas

Dec 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by jrob21 from North Carolina

May 13, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by Hellpop65 from Kansas

Dec 13, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Dec 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by wrightst from Maryland

Jun 06, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by iatethecloudsfor from Vermont

Dec 28, 2013
Photo of Durge
Reviewed by Durge from Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
A thick dark brown black color with a healthy light brown head and a solid cascade of spider web lacing on the pint glass. The aroma offers deep pomegranate malt and licorice along with some chocolate prune. Really top notch. The flavor starts with a tart lime that marries easily with the deep licorice malt and prune ideas that came through in the first nose hit. And again I can identify some chocolate as well as orange and fig. Just a taste treat that obviously didn't lose anything after sitting for a few years. The body is near full with a slick feel that's well short of being too syrupy. Goes down pretty easily for a big beer but you'll want to make it last. Awesome stuff.
Nov 16, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by Gobzilla from California

Oct 23, 2013
 
Rated: 4.38 by jaydoc from Kansas

Oct 20, 2013
Photo of ryan1788a5
Reviewed by ryan1788a5 from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22oz bottle poured into a goblet. This beer has been in my cellar for a long time. Six years old, I suppose, seeing as Twenty dropped recently. Let's see if it held up.

A: Pitch black on the pour. One finger of beige head settles into a thin slip after a short time. A thin, delicate ring of lacing remains on the glass.

S: Deep notes of dark chocolate and black cocoa powder. Dry, cake-like brownies and tootsie rolls. Grape-like candi sugar. Soft and subtle yeasty spice builds as the beer warms. Brown sugar and faint cinnamon and clove. A hollow, leafy hop scent has been all but lost with the time.

T: Chocolatey up front with tastes of tootsie rolls, dry brownies, and black cocoa powder. Chocolate truffles. Brown molasses. Candi sugar brings a distinct raisin taste. This gets wrapped up in all the chocolate, and the marriage is a beautiful one. Plum and black raspberry round out a fruity center. As in the nose, the yeast brings mellow spice: Faint clove and cinnamon are almost lost. Perhaps a dash of pepper. Brown sugar. Slight papery/cardboard oxidation, but that's to be expected at this age. Absolutely no trace of alcohol despite the high abv. Any hop taste ironed itself out long ago. Dry chocolatey and yeasty finish.

M: Full mouthfeel, body is on the thick side but not weighty. Filling and somewhat chewy. Candi sugar and high attenuation keep it from being heavy and viscous. Scrubbing carbonation provides some lift too.

O: Having not had this beer fresh, I can only speculate as to what it was like younger. It has definitely held up to the time, but at six years it seems that it may have lost a step or two. Particularly in the hops department. As it stands it was a solid drink, but man do I wish I could taste this fresh, when the dry hopping was still apparent.
Aug 04, 2013
Photo of Smurf2055
Reviewed by Smurf2055 from Washington

3.99/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Not sure if it was my fault or what, but this thing gushed. Maybe just shaken up.

Pours really dark red with four fingers tan head, bunch of sediment too.

Smell is like a barleywine but lighter, coco, malt, red fruit, really complex,

taste is a bit stale, but very complex, bitter, coco, espresso, molasses, some fruit flavor too, interesting beer for sure.
Jul 31, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by WOLFGANG from South Carolina

Jul 05, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by jaxon53 from Connecticut

Jun 24, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by bird22 from California

Jun 03, 2013
Photo of Highlander15401
Reviewed by Highlander15401 from Pennsylvania

4.69/5  rDev +17%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Steady carbonation with a pale tan head. Nice lacing for a 6.5. The label reads "A very Dark, Different, Dry-Hopped Ale."

Aromas stand out from the start with licorice & chocolate. the taste has more of licorice, bittersweet chocolate and very ripe cherry + sweet malts & dark fruits of raisins & figs. The temperature rising increases the intensity of the chocolate. Partially due (I imagine) from the yeasts opening their doors in welcoming the flood of burnt sugar, syrupy bitter chocolate and fruit. Carbonation dissipated somewhat, but kept teasing to the final sip. Tasted with 2 brewers & general manager from Morgantown Brewing Company, WV.
Apr 25, 2013
Photo of yamar68
Reviewed by yamar68 from Minnesota

4.16/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Finally decided to open this one - Avery's anniversary beer from 2007

Murky soft brown body that shows little to no activity. A finger of pale tan head retains rather well and produces decent lacing and beading beneath.

Chocolate, licorice and rotten cherry. Dark, sweet malts and red fruits... brownie and Belgian yeast. The alcohol seemed rather potent upon first opening the bottle, but it's more smoothed out than I had initially thought - there is still a bit of heat though on the tail end of it.

Dessert fruits, chocolate syrup, some papery sweetness... a little chalky but it doesn't seem to detract from the overall drinkability of the beer. A little medicinal in the finish but it's rounded out by a sense of syrupy fruit presence.

Very interesting stuff. Give it a whirl if you're interested.
Feb 13, 2013
Avery Anniversary Ale - Fourteen from Avery Brewing Company
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 270 ratings